The Mission Viejo City Council decided this week to do away with a limit to how long commissioners can serve.
Mission Viejo has three commissions — Community Services, Investment Advisory and Planning and Transportation — and 15 active commissioners, according to the city’s website. Commissioners act as advisors to the council, recommend ways to address community issues and liaise between the community and city government.
Previously, commissioners could serve two-year terms with a maximum of three terms, but under the new rules, that maximum limit goes away.
Commissioners will still need to be reappointed every two years by a majority vote of the council, said Kimberly Schmitt, the city clerk. The City Council plans to make new appointments to various commissions during its meeting on March 28.
Residents had a lot to say about the changes during the recent council meeting. They expressed concern that without term limits, the city will be governed by the same people, making it difficult for new people to get involved.
“In a democracy, no one remains in office indefinitely. New voices with fresh perspectives will keep our community strong,” one resident said during Tuesday’s meeting. “Term limits are a necessary step to that end, both for elected and appointed positions in order to avoid the rabbit hole of governance by the same few without end.”
Another longtime resident implored the council to have a “more robust discussion” about the issue before making the change. But the council, in a 4-1 vote, approved the changes on Tuesday, Feb. 14.
Councilmember Trish Kelley, who first moved to do away with term limits, said limitations on how long someone can serve in government can be detrimental to the city.
“What I don’t want to do is close the door on talented commissioners who are doing a good job, who have the experience and have their arms wrapped around the issues of the city and just mandatorily taking them off because their six…
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